The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1887-02-04

SOM ETHING FOR THE MARSHAL TO DO.


During a recent excursion TO Hawaii
certain facts were brought to our notice
which should be we'll known to the au-
thorities, but which the public should
be made acquainted with also. There
Is said to be gathered III PolOlu valley,
in kohala district, near the dividing line
from Hamakua, band OF something
like two hundred men who are prac-
tically outlaws, and whose livelihood is
gained by distilling an ardent Spirit,
which is vended among plantation hands
to their decentralization and consequent
loss by their employers. The neucleus
OF this band was formed by runaway
Chinese shipped hands, but it has grown
rapidly, the lawle5s freedom of the life
attracting many besides refugees.
Among lis Chinese gang are Il consider
able nber of Hawaiian Iepers, who
tUa- wade the necessity OF going to
tl-I0k. " order of the Board of Health.
These an are naturally reckless and
aes per. ;, and as they have the SYM
.afhy their relatives and friends it
wg1-8 impossible to surprise them
were n authorities so minded Never
r5a.ess is clearly a difficulty which
must ha iaced. The locaLauthorities are
uower J to grapple with this gang OF
suIggjers and desperadoes, and the
central authority must intervene if any
...f Is - he accom- D1iShpd
Farther along the coast, in Waipio
gu.cl, there is another gang of Chinese
suueglers, who have 50 far succeeded in
defvn the authorities, and who find no
difficulty whatever in disposing of the !
spirits manufactured by them. They |
OCCUPY q very strong position, access to !
their etronghold being by a rope ladder, |
tie las. man OF the gang always drawing |
it ga ter him. The number OF men i'm .
this crganization-for they have signs .
and pa-swords as have the gang in Po- |
Mlu alleys not certainly known,
bus r ust be large. The existence of .
one o. these organizations is bad enough,
bu. &. - presence OF two so close together,
engaged in the same enterprise and in
jaa..ea by common motive, is a
sla.. ~ menace to life and property.
y. e not alarmists in any sense, but
tia, 10 reason why we should not in
r9se he arm of authority in the enforce
men, Of law and the preservation OF
osIe lille it is strong enough to strike
an l,ative blow The time will come.
and t speedily, when it may not be
able do so of a certainty Nothing
sh)u,- be undertaken, however, in
haste Every step should be carefully
weighed, and every precaution taken
against failure even in the minutest
particular. The well-being of the coun-
try depends in a great measure upon
this yecauSe if 'moonshining'' can be
surle siully carried on along the Kohala
d Uamakua coast, it will be attempted
p Ter places. There is nothing so
ly demoralizing or so subversive of
Al. sw aud moral authority as the prac-
Il Illicit distillation. The danger
-au settlement incident to the wild life
-. a .noonshiner" in America and to a
'smuygler' in the British Isles, attracts
many adventurous youths whose moral
6Jar as not been stiffened; but in this
country it is resorted to by the cold, cal
,a.ating Chinese from sordid motives,
and is therefore all the more an element
ol Danger.
T1 conclusion, we again say, here is
.e,hing for the Marshal of the King
iom o do. Rough and dangerous work
.srhaps is ahead; but it is in the line OF
3u,y and it should not be neglected.
Zov hat the matter has been brought
,eiore the public it cannot any longer be
gnoFed. The responsibility rests with
he authorities; we have done our full
.utg.